Calibrachoa plant named &#39;BBCAL83901&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘BBCAL83901’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and freely flowering habit; dark red-colored flowers with bright yellow-colored throats; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BBCAL83901’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION AND STATEMENT REGARDING PRIORDISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeders' Rightsapplication filed on May 17, 2019, application number 19-9873. Therehave been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed PlantBreeder's Rights documents.

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘BBCAL83901’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact, uniform, freely-branching andfreely-flowering Calibrachoa plants with unique and attractive flowercolors and patterns and good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. on Sep. 17, 2015 of a proprietaryseedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number15CB354-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent withCalibrachoa sp. ‘Unique Light Red’, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and firstselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Bonsall, Calif. on Jun. 22, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. sinceJun. 25, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘BBCAL83901’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘BBCAL83901’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.

4. Early and freely flowering habit.

5. Dark red-colored flowers with bright yellow-colored throats.

6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely flowering than plantsof the female parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa flower earlier than plants of thefemale parent selection.

3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection differin flower color as flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa are dark redin color whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection arecherry red in color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, ‘Unique Light Red’, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more mounding than and not astrailing as plants of ‘Unique Light Red’.

2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘Unique Light Red’ differ in flowercolor as flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa are dark red in colorwhereas flowers of plants of ‘Unique Light Red’ are scarlet red incolor.

3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have good garden performance whereasplants of ‘Unique Light Red’ have poor garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa sp. ‘USCALI11’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,968. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘USCALI11’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more mounding than and not asupright as plants of ‘USCALI11’.

2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI11’ differ in flower coloras flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa are dark red in colorwhereas flowers of plants of ‘USCALI11’ are light red purple in color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa sp. ‘USCALI51’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,874. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘USCALI51’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more mounding than and not asupright as plants of ‘USCALI51’.

2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI51’ differ in flower coloras flowers of plants of the new Calibrachoa are dark red in colorwhereas flowers of plants of ‘USCALI11’ are violet in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

At the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘BBCAL83901’ grown in a container and atthe bottom of the photographic sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘BBCAL83901’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15.25-cmcontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario,Canada and under cultural practices typical of commercial Verbenaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 27° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants werepinched three weeks after planting and were ten weeks from plantingrooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘BBCAL83901’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 15CB354-01, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Calibrachoa sp. ‘Unique Light Red’,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at            ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to ten days at            ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About four to five            weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About five to six            weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous            growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching            habit with about four primary lateral branches each with            about eight secondary branches developing per plant; dense            and bushy appearance.        -   Plant height.—About 10 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 21.9 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Primary branches.—Length: About 14.7 cm. Diameter: About            2.9 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm.        -   Secondary branches.—Length: About 9.2 cm. Diameter: About            1.8 mm. Internode length: About 7 mm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong, flexible and sturdy.        -   Aspect.—Semi-upright to horizontal.        -   Texture and luster.—Densely pubescent; matte.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 145B.        -   Color, developed.—Close to 145A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,            opposite; leaves simple.        -   Length.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 mm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescence;            slightly glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescence;            matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 145B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,            close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 145C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color,            upper surface: Close to 145B. Color, lower surface: Close to            145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            typically about 164 flowers and flower buds developing per            plant at one time; flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            begin flowering about six to eight weeks after planting;            plants flower continuously from the spring though the summer            until frost.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm.            Shape: Oblong, elongate. Texture and luster: Moderately            pubescence; matte. Color: Close to N77B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals opening into a            flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About            1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse to slightly emarginate. Petal            margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, velvety; matte. Petal            texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely to moderately            pubescent; matte. Throat texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster: Moderately            pubescent; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper            surface: Close to N57A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower            surface: Close to 59D. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 53D; towards the base, close to 46B;            venation, close to 46B; color becoming closer to 52A to 52B            with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 59D; midvein, close to N77A and lateral venation,            close to 58A; color becoming closer to 54B with development.            Throat: Close to 12A; narrow ring at the transition between            throat and petal lobe, close to 178A; venation, close to            200A. Tube: Darker than 7D; venation, close to 200A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused towards the base and arranged in a single            whorl; sepals flaring outwardly and reflexing towards the            apex. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Sepal            length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal width: About 2.5 mm. Sepal            shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.            Sepal texture and luster, upper surface: Moderately            pubescent; matte. Sepal texture and luster, lower surface:            Sparsely pubescent; matte. Sepal color, upper surface: Close            to 137B. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 45° to 90° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong, wiry and flexible. Texture and luster: Densely            pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to 154C.            Anther length: About 0.9 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.            Anther color: Close to 10C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 11B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 8 mm. Style length: About 7 mm. Style            color: Close to 145B. Stigma diameter: About 0.9 mm. Stigma            shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary            color: Close to 145B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa    have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common    to Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘BBCAL83901’ as illustrated and described. 